May 20, 1999

Dear Rio's Attic,

After reading all of the letters sent to you, I'm sure this one will be quite insignificant....but it was important to me to write.

I was fourteen when River died, and when I heard the news, my friends and I were getting ready for a halloween party. We had just finished getting dressed, when my friend's mom called to tell us the news. We stopped what we were doing and sat in silence for a very long time. Each of us had always dreamed that we would one day be able to meet River, and thank him for changing so many things, and adding beauty to our lives through his films. I have probably seen Stand By Me about three hundred times in my lifetime, and always weep when he disappears out of sight, much like he did in real life.

After he died many articles came out about him, and I read more and more of his quotes. After seeing his point of view on animal rights, it made sense to me. I gave up eating meat, and joined quite a few animal rights organizations.

I want to thank you for creating this web page, a place where fans of this amazing man can congregate, and share their thoughts. Though I never knew him personally, his memory lives on in my heart, and I have even decided to name my first child after him, in honor of his accomplishments...

A thousand times thank you...